Discover the less developed and unexplored
parts of Thailand spend
two nights in Bangkok enjoying the contrast of the quiet canal network, serene,
decorative temples and robed monks at prayer with the frenetic atmosphere,
hectic night life and bustling street markets. Not to be missed is a visit to
Wat Phra Kaeo, the holiest site in Thailand containing the Emerald Buddha, nor
a trip to the Grand Palace, the official residence of the King of Thailand and
Wat Pho the oldest and largest Buddhist temple in Bangkok, the stunning
Khao Sok national park and the quiet beaches of Khao Lak.

** All our tours are
Exclusive Private Tours, so you will not be put together with other guests **

Day 1: Welcome to Bangkok

Fly
to Bangkok, THAILAND

Welcome to Thailand.
Upon arrival in Bangkok, obtain your Thailand visa (please refer to your
Special Program Note), and then clear Immigration and Customs. After
collecting your baggage, exit the airport to meet outside a local Guide of
Global Travel & Tours. He/she will be holding a sign with your names on it.
Please note that local guides are not allowed inside the airport.

From the airport, you will
be privately transferred to the lovely boutique hotel. Bangkok Thailand’s
capital city, known to Thais as “Krung Thep” (the City of Angels) is one of the
world’s most exciting cities. It holds the essence of the Thai spirit, and is
very much the heart of the country. Without doubt, this fast-growing metropolis
of roughly 10 million people has something to offer to everyone. Its lively
collection of nightlife venues, markets, shops, restaurants, magnificent “wats”
(temples), museums, palaces and parks will assure that you never get bored.
Settle in and enjoy the afternoon and evening at your leisure.

Begin your full day tour of
this city visiting three impressive temples. First drive through the
morning flower markets to explore real Thai lifestyle. Visit
Wat Traimit with its invaluable Golden Buddha (5 ½ tons of solid gold); Wat
Pho, the largest temple in Bangkok, with the colossal Reclining Buddha and the
Chedis of the Kings.

View the enormous Buddha
covered in gold leaf and lying majestically on its side. Next,
continue to the city's most important landmark, the Grand Palace, which is one
of the most beautiful examples of ancient Siamese architecture and has been the
residence of the Kings of Thailand for over two centuries. Here you will see
palaces which were used for different occasions: the Funeral Palace, the Reception
Palace, the Throne Hall, the Coronation Hall, the Royal Guest House and Wat
Phra Kaew, containing the most revered Buddha image in the country, the Emerald
Buddha, made from one solid piece of translucent green jade.

After lunch at a Thai
restaurant near the Chao Phraya River, embark on a water excursion on the river
and its canals. Board a long-tailed boat to explore the klongs (canals) of
Bangkok’s Thonburi, in the west of Bangkok, situated on the right side of the
Chao Phraya River. Its many canals had originally given Bangkok the name
"Venice of the East." Passing along the canals in the boat gives you
a first-hand impression of the scenic life along Bangkok‘s waterways. You will
also visit the majestic Royal Barges and Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn, one of the
most attractive temples in Thailand) and Santa Cruz Church before
returning to your hotel.

Welcome to Phuket.
Upon arrival at Phuket Airport. After collecting your baggage, exit the airport
to meet outside a local Guide of Global Travel & Tours. He/she will be
holding a sign with your names on it. Please note that local guides are not
allowed inside the airport.

From the airport, you will
be met and transfer to the Khao Sok National Park. En-route, glimpses of
tropical rural life here in southern Thailand can be caught. Upon arrival at
Elephant Hills Camp, buffet lunch is served at 12:00pm; a variety of delicious Thai
dishes cooked not too spicy awaits you. After lunch you can relax during a
jungle river canoe trip down the Sok River. The canoes are very stable and
safe; life jackets are provided as well as a local river guide to paddle the
canoe. Drift along the jungle river passing Limestone Mountains and cliffs
covered with exotic tropical vegetation. Sometimes hornbill birds can be seen
flying high overhead or reptiles basking in the sun on the riverbanks. From the
canoe you can experience some of the last areas of primary rainforest, a world
that has changed little in thousands of years. Get out of the canoe and head
over to the elephant sanctuary. Here you can see, touch and learn about the
life of Thai elephants and about the Elephant Hills elephant conservation
project. Your guide will also teach you about the mahout, the elephant
caretaker. While participating in our amazing Elephant Experience you will get
very close to and even get your hands on these magnificent animals, you will
have the chance to interact with them and learn the secrets of their mahouts.
You will prepare and feed them one of their daily meals, including their
dietary supplements that help with their digestion and their overall
well-being, then watch them bathe before you scrub and wash them clean. This is
a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reallyexperience the Asian Elephant,
this part of the world’s largest land animal!

After all this activity
close to nature it is time for a hot shower in the unique bathroom of your
luxury safari tent. Relax and enjoy the panoramic views of the surrounding
jungle-covered mountains – this is 100% real nature! A wide selection of cocktails, wines
and spirits is available at the “Jungle
explorer’s club bar”. Optional evening entertainment includes a movie presentation,
a traditional Thai dance performance from local school children and a cooking
demonstration, where you learn how to properly prepare Thai specialties. At
8:00pm it is time for dinner in this unique location beside the rainforest, the
sounds and the atmosphere will make this a memorable meal. Spend the night in
your luxury safari tent with a comfortable bed, reading lights, hot water and a
western-style toilet. The tents’ doors and windows are covered with mosquito
netting as well as canvas flaps, so insects and reptiles will not bother you.
Temperatures at night drop a little, the tents are well ventilated; blankets
keep you warm in the chill of the night. This is real luxury so close to the
heart of the rainforest!

Wake up to the sounds of
nature and birds calling from the bushes next to the tent. By the time the sun
comes up and the mist over the rainforest-covered mountains to the south of
Elephant Hills clears, gibbons’ territorial morning calls echo down the valley.
Tea and coffee making facilities are available in your tent for early risers;
breakfast is at your leisure. Today you will explore Cheow-Lan-Lake by local
long-tail boat. Cruise across emerald waters passing towering rainforest
covered Limestone Mountains to the “Guilin” of Southern Thailand. The
Cheow-Lan-Lake is a little known wonder of southern Thailand and features a
first-class habitat for wild elephants, the rare Asian ox, hornbills and
hundreds of other tropical birds, various monkey species, amphibians, reptiles
and even tigers and leopards. This combined with a myriad of other species
hidden in the rainforest-covered hills make it one of the most unique and
important areas of rainforest in South East Asia. Take your time to marvel at
the majestic mountains rising sheer out of the water and experience nature at
its best!

Head to the floating
Elephant Hills Rainforest Camp, situated in the heart of the national park,
where our staff will check you in to your luxury tent with private en-suite
bathrooms, solar- and wind-powered electricity and hot and cold water showers.
Find all the conveniences of a modern hotel room inside, combined with solid
beds, tea and coffee making facilities and totally unspoilt nature right at
your door step. Sit back and enjoy the surrounding views of Cheow-Lan-Lake
whilst enjoying a fabulous buffet lunch of Thai dishes which are prepared
directly on the property. Well invigorated you will come face to face with the
jungle by exploring it on foot. It is not an army survival exercise, even
though the trail is quite steep and times and can be slippery when wet – please
talk to your guide if you are feeling unsure about the trek. But remember:
There are no prizes for the fastest, snakes and spiders do not jump out at you
– it is just an excellent opportunity to explore the ecology of one of the
world’s oldest rainforests, to see a great variety of exotic plants, tropical
hardwood trees with huge roots, orchids, palms, ferns, bamboos, mosses… the
variety is huge. Birds such as the hornbill live high up above, gibbons can
often be heard calling to their mates, a macaque or a leaf monkey may be
swinging through the branches, beautiful butterflies buzz around – every day is
different, but it is always truly wonderful to discover the great variety of
life-forms that co-exists here together. Take this advice: Walk slowly. Look,
learn and listen. Then you too will start to discover some of the rainforest’s
secrets. No fairy-tale is that fabulous Watch the sun set behind the towering
limestone mountains from the deckchair in front of your tent after a refreshing
dip in the water and the inevitable shower. Dinner will be served shortly, and
then it is only you and the intriguing sounds of nature under a starlit sky… No
fairy-tale will ever be that fabulous.

Accommodation: Stay 1 night at the Rainforest Camp (Luxury Tented)

Day
5: Elephant hills Rainforest camp / Krabi

Meals Provided:
Breakfast & Lunch

Wake up to the sounds of
Gibbons calling high up in the trees, whilst the clearing mist unveils the true
beauty of the lake. Don’t think twice: As the jungle starts to stir, you could
already be out there exploring prehistoric beauty in your canoe! Or do you wish
to submerge into the glassy surface of the lake first? Whatever you choose: By
tomorrow you will already regret the things you have not done…

After breakfast your guide
will invite you to join in on a guided canoe safari into the little channels and
side arms of Cheow-Lan-Lake. Take one of our kayaks and start scanning the tree
tops for lazy hornbill birds or energetic primates. You will find yourself in
heart of the rainforest on a silent adventure – words cannot do this experience
justice.

Before traveling on, the
last lunch is served at the floating tented camp. Bon appétit, they say; then
it is time to return to the pier and move on to your next destination. The real
joy, though, this inner feeling of complete happiness, will not be transferred
away. It stays with you, right there, right in your heart. What remains is the
memory. Untouched. Untroubled. Unrivaled.

From the Elephant Hill, you
will be privately transferred tothe lovely boutique beach resort. Khao
Lak, located some 90 kilometers north of Phuket on the mainland.
Khao Lak National Park offers spectacular scenery, including splendid forested
hills and valleys, sea cliffs, beaches, estuaries, and mangroves. Occasionally,
wildlife such as barking deer, hornbills, gibbons, monkeys, and small bears can
be seen in the park. For snorkeling and diving enthusiasts, the Similan and
Surin Islands - acclaimed for their incredible coral and aquatic life - should
not be missed. Settle in and enjoy the afternoon and evening at your leisure.